A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, has claimed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC is an unlawful organisation.
Agbakoba stated this in two separate letters to the Senate and House of Representatives, dated October 14 and a certified true copy of it made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
The two letters were addressed separately to the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin; and Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr Benjamin Kalu.
The duo doubled as Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Review and Chairman, House Committee on Constitution Review respectively.
The senior lawyer said he strongly believes that the EFCC was “unconstitutionally established.”
He drew the attention of the National Assembly to constitutional issues relating to law enforcement agencies in the country and factors inhibiting the government’s objective of abolishing corruption as stated in Section 13 of the 1999 Constitution.
“I very strongly believe the EFCC is unconstitutionally established.
“The powers under which it was established go beyond the powers of the National Assembly.
“The EFCC is an unlawful organisation,” Agbakoba, a former President of NBA, said.
He said that he was delighted to note that many states had finally taken it upon themselves to challenge the constitutionality of the EFCC, saying, “This will put to rest the question relating to the validity of the EFCC.”
The letter to the Deputy Senate President is titled, “Urgent Legislative Attention on Constitutional Reforms Relating to Law Enforcement Agencies and Anti-Corruption Efforts”.
EFCC an unlawful organisation – Ex-NBA president, Agbakoba writes Nigerian Senate
